Related

They woke up at the crack of dawn and began trickling downtown as the sun came up, vying for a seat at Ralph Klein's memorial service.

Prominent politicians and regular Calgary citizens turned out at the McDougall Centre, city hall's plaza and Jack Singer Concert Hall to hear tributes and view slideshows remembering the former mayor and premier's long career.

And they capped the day off Klein-style, sharing stories and pints of beer at an Eau Claire bar.

The day began with scores of people queuing up for hours in front of Jack Singer Concert Hall for one of 1,800 available seats for Friday's Klein tributes.

Don Provencher left his Red Deer home at 4 a.m. hoping to snag a seat for the noon-hour ceremony.

"I think King Ralph was a people's person," said the former soldier. "He spoke our language and was very truthful."

By 7: 35 a.m. Sylvia Couper, Klein's official interpreter in 1985 when he travelled to Daquing, China for a twin cities event, secured her spot in line.

Sporting a campaign button of Ralph and Colleen Klein, Couper recalled a momentous occasion that would see her return to China to bring giant pandas to Calgary for the 1988 Olympics.

"Two little girls came up and stopped and presented two little panda stuffed animals, and he passed it on to Colleen right away. He said to the governor and the mayor and the whole delegation, 'We should get the real ones over.' And I went with the delegation to negotiate getting the giant pandas."

The first eulogy of the day was delivered by CBC commentator Rex Murphy.

Murphy remembered Klein as the "most populist premier that Alberta, and perhaps most of the other provinces, ever had."

"There was something magical in that personality," Murphy told a convention crowd of the Economic Club of Canada at the downtown Westin hotel Friday morning.

"Regardless of his foils, he spoke some real truth of character to the great majority of the citizens of this province and outside.

"There was an element in him that broadcast an authenticity, a realism - a notion that he was of the people that he was representing."

As the waiting public made their way inside the concert hall, a tightly scheduled motorcade procession made its first stop at Klein's former Calgary office at McDougall Centre around 11 a.m.

Staff remembered Klein fondly.

Office manager Lee Roberts, who worked with Klein for 14 years, recalls the former premier sauntering in, often late, with a cup of a coffee and friendly greeting.

"It was a much smaller office, so there wasn't the hustle and bustle of Edmonton," said Roberts.

"All of us, from the building staff up to the premier, this was a family at McDougall. He felt very much a part of that family, and he knew everybody's names."

Klein's friendliness was sometimes unsettling, said his former bodyguard, Cal Lawinger.

"He was always shaking hands and talking to anybody. Sometimes he'd make me a little bit nervous," said Lawinger.

Outside McDougall, a police honour guard presented Colleen Klein with the provincial flag flying outside the Alberta legislature on the day her husband died.

After the flag was folded, it was marched over to Lt.-Gov. Donald Ethell, who presented it to Klein's widow.

The crowd applauded as Colleen Klein waved.

From there, the motorcade made its way through downtown to city hall for its second stop of the morning.

"It just feels so right, doesn't it, to have this celebration of the life of Ralph Klein here at city hall where it all started in this building that he built," said Nenshi.

"Ralph Klein made his mark as a three-term Calgary mayor and as premier of the province of Alberta for 14 years. As mayor, he introduced the city's LRT system, he increased environmental protection for the Bow River, and played host to the world during the 1988 Olympic Games," Nenshi told the crowd.

"He helped make Alberta the first debt-free province in Canada and instituted - I know this was very important to him - Canada's first ministry of children's services."

The outpouring of affection "is tangible evidence of the legacy that Ralph Klein leaves behind him, as mayor, as premier and as a Calgarian. On behalf of city council and the citizens of Calgary, it is my privilege to declare today Ralph Klein Day."

A massive television screen erected in the plaza played a tribute slideshow of Klein through his years as Calgary mayor from 1980-89.

A tearful Colleen Klein thanked Nenshi, who hugged her, and waved to the applauding crowd, many of whom were city employees. Numerous people clutched provincial and city flags.

After making the proclamation, Nenshi presented a framed copy as well as the Calgary flag to Colleen Klein and family before they all made their way to the memorial event at the nearby Jack Singer Concert Hall.

As the group departed on foot, Colleen Klein stopped to shake hands with bystander Chekotah Bronson.

The aboriginal activist stood out alongside the white motorcade in his fiery red-and-orange headdress.

A tear slipped down his cheek as Bronson expressed his condolences.

"I never met him personally, but I really loved how connected he was with our people. I can still see that connection in your eyes," Bronson told Colleen Klein.

"I'm glad to meet her," he said moments after. "Him and his wife were always so connected with our people. He had compassion for First Nations people. He's family. I wanted to respect that. After all, if he slept in our homes, our teepees, our lodges, then it's just respectful for us, he's part of the family."

Inside city hall, television monitors were set up in the atrium broadcasting Klein's memorial tribute live.

"He was a great man. His legacy is all around us," said Tony Smith, who lingered to watch the tributes. "It would have been an honour to work for him."

szickefoose@ calgaryherald.com

Comments

We encourage all readers to share their views on our articles and blog posts. We are committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion, so we ask you to avoid personal attacks, and please keep your comments relevant and respectful. If you encounter a comment that is abusive, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the comment box to report spam or abuse. We are using Facebook commenting. Visit our FAQ page for more information.

Almost Done!

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.